How to Operate a Wood Furnace
Wood furnaces are economical and charming. But with temperatures soaring between 500 and 1,000 degrees, safety and knowledge of your particular wood furnace model is essential. The Chimney Safety Institute of America maintains that all chimneys should be cleaned and inspected yearly by a certified professional for proper operation. These basic steps of wood furnace operation will get the home fires burning. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Newspaper sheets
- Lighter
- Chopped pine, fir or other softwoods
- Chopped maple, oak or other hardwoods
Instructions
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Operation
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1
Open the dampers and insert a fire starter log or five to 10 sheets of newspaper. After lighting, keep adding kindling until the fire is burning briskly. While optional, if a chimney temperature gauge is installed 3 feet from the exit of the stove, the chimney is preheated when temperatures reach between 500 and 600 degrees. According to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, preheating your wood furnace chimney is recommended. Without a gauge, the chimney is preheated when the fire will burn a large piece of wood without decreasing in intensity. This entire process will take between five and 15 minutes.
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2
Start loading the wood furnace with small, split pieces of softwoods, which will burn faster at a higher intensity, ensuring an efficient burn. Check the smoke coming out of the chimney. A white, thin smoke is the sign of an efficient burn, where a dark smoke is a sign to check the air flow.
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3
Add rounded, larger pieces of the hardwoods for a long-lasting burn. Set the draft controls wide open for 20 minutes then gradually restrict the airflow. Never allow the draft controls to be less than half open.
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